Apology
by True M. Vega
Summary: Lance wanted to apologize to Yellow, but got more than he wanted. Little did he know that she was suffering, too. Grantedshipping, one-shot.


Arceus truly used all the colors of the rainbow to paint the beautiful sunset over Viridian Forest one lonely Saturday night. It was October, and the leaves had just begun to fall. Gorgeous mixtures of red, orange, tan, and yellow leaves scattered the path a very dejected young man walked along.

That man's name was Lance. Yes, as in the dragon tamer.

_"It's been so, so long…" _Lance thought to himself.

Lance was a very sharp-looking young man. About twenty-one, he was tall, well-built, and had a chiseled face that earned him many female admirers. His red hair spiked high like magma from a volcano, and while his style of dress was certainly strange, it gave him an iconic appearance; a long, black cape with a collar, a navy-blue long sleeved shirt with black gloves and boots, and red trimming on pretty much all things mentioned previously. Those were the things he would normally wear in public or while facing a challenger, but to explore a forest, a gray shirt, ripped jeans, and combat boots fit much better. Nothing special.

If one saw Lance wandering aimlessly through this forest, he would probably ask himself what on earth he was doing (and why was he dressed like a normal person). It's quite interesting, actually, because he was doing something no one would expect for him to be at this dark forest.

He was there to apologize to someone.

_"I know it's here somewhere…It isn't like Silver to screw up directions." _The directions suddenly clicked, and Lance rolled his eyes at his own stupidity. He had taken a wrong turn.

_"Damn." _He growled to himself as he turned back around and trudged to the other option in the fork in the road, the leaves almost mocking him of his error.

_"I would fly there, but I left all of my pokemon at the center. I have to look…non-threatening…"_

He mumbled with a chuckle. Looking non-threatening was certainly a good approach. After all, he did nearly destroy this place when he was younger.

Lance stopped, and according to the crudely-drawn map, he was close. Looking up, he saw a small cottage about fifty meters away, looking all snug and cozy in comparison to the deep, damp, cold forest. Approaching, he made sure to keep as quiet as possible, and to not make the leaves underneath his feet crunch so loudly. Each time he took a step, it sounded like a dynamite blast to him; _Crunch_…_crunch_…_crunch_…Lance wanted to give up and go home, but he had gotten way too far now to just quit.

He finally reached the door; before knocking, he took a second to admire it, as it appeared to be hand-crafted, with a pyroar-shaped knocker. Out of the corner of his eye, he could've sworn he saw the curtains in the window move. Goosebumps flared on his arms and neck as he reached for the knocker, a sense of apprehension about him. His demeanor and expression would mean everything here, and if he screwed up, it might just cost him his life.

Speaking of his life, it flashed before his eyes right then and there.

The beautiful door he had admired but not a minute ago burst off its hinges, sending him sprawling into the cold, hard ground fifteen feet away. Lance wasn't able to stand up again from the sheer force of the attack, and his eyes were shut tight in pain. As he opened his eyes, he suddenly felt the sensation of something cold and hard like rock lifting him off the ground by his neck. He tried to pry his assailant's hand off, but it was like stone. Literally like stone.

"**Golllllemm…" **The beast rumbled. It lifted him higher until he could see it's angular, brown, toothy face. The pokemon leaned it's other fist back as it caught fire, and Lance knew what was coming next.

"Stop, Gravvy!"

**"Gol?" **The pokemon now identified as the rock type Golem turned back to its trainer. The voice was female, and even though he knew her by name, he far from recognized her voice.

"Don't hurt him. At least not yet."

Golem dropped him suddenly. Arceus, not the cold ground again! Lance groaned in pain as she stepped closer, almost to the point of being on top of him. Lance slowly opened his eyes, and in the dark, he could barely make out her features.

"Amarillo del Bosque Verde…" Lance chuckled. "Do all visitors get a welcome wagon quite like this?"

"No, just you." She helped him up, and he finally caught a glance at her beautiful face. "Tell me why you're here. Oh, and my friends call me Yellow."

Lance gulped, as he hadn't expected it to go over like this. She was acting almost coy, and it bothered him a lot.

"I'm here to make amends with you." Yellow's eyes flared for a moment, but quickly normalized again. "I hurt you, and I see the error of my ways now. I've been training for so long, and it hasn't made my heart heal like I expected, so I thought that if I apologized, it would help me feel better."

Yellow came forward and put her hand on his chest. She had grown up so, so much since that little runt she used to be. Long, golden hair, fierce but kind olive eyes, and while not filled out, she did posses a beautiful body. "Come inside."

"A-alright."

She recalled the golem that had so kindly attacked him, and led him back to the house. While he was still sore from the assault, he didn't want to show weakness in front of her, so he did his best to walk (limp) back towards the cottage.

"Make yourself at home."

Seemed like home for her, alright. Very plain, with few decorations, and barely any furniture, either. A ratty, scarlet couch set by its lonesome, across from it a rocking chair. The fireplace roared quietly and gave off a nice heat. A pile of books lay untouched in a corner by the chair, and the stack of logs set below that mantle seemed to leer at him.

He turned, and she was right there, in his face making him jump. "Sorry! Please sit. You want anything to drink?" She couldn't help but giggle at his started expression.

Lance shook his head as he sat down on the creaky couch. "I'm fine, thanks." He was actually really thirsty, but again came the resistance to show weakness. Damn it, what was wrong with him?

She came back a minute later with a mug of something hot. "Aren't you cold?"

"No," the lie came out so easily. "it's fine."

She suddenly touched his arm, sending warm tingles up his body. "Arceus, you are cold. I'm getting you some tea, and don't lie to me anymore."

He was very bamboozled to say the least. Turning, he managed to catch sight of her retreating rear. Lance wasn't a person to think about such things, but he almost had the urge to touch it.

"Hey; here."

Lance snapped back to reality, and he shakily took the drink from her. "Are you okay? You look like you're about to give up your dinner."

"I'm fine." He replied brusquely as he sipped the tea, burning his tongue in the process.

"Can you please say more than five words at a time? Jeez, you're like a nervous wreck." Yellow folded her arms, and man, was she stunning. Lance was surprised she didn't have a boyfriend lurking around, particularly that Red kid from Pallet Town he didn't care to remember..

"Like I said before, I'm here to apologize. Will you forgive me?"

"Yeah, sure."

Lance's face became a pure picture of surprise, mouth open and eyebrows tightened. "What?! You're not going to consider? You're not going to say no? You're not going to make me grovel before you or anything? How can you just say 'yeah' like that?!"

Yellow shrugged. "It's not my style to manipulate. Besides, you were young, had good intentions, tried to do something awful out of it, and I stopped you. I was never angry with you, I just knew I had to stop you, so please don't think I've held a grudge forever. I haven't, and I really wish you came earlier. I've wanted to sort of reconcile too, but I haven't been able to find you."

"I…" Lance really didn't know what to say in return. He had a hard time believing that she was looking for him too, but it wasn't like Yellow to lie.

Yellow eyes suddenly widened. "I'll be right back!"

"Wait-" Lance tried to ask what was wrong, but she had already dashed up the stairs. Slumping in the couch, the dragon tamer covered his face with hand in pure exasperation. He felt like the world's biggest idiot. Why hadn't he left yet? Why didn't Yellow make him fight or beg for his apology, in the least?

_"Doesn't she live with an uncle or somebody?" _Lance thought as his eyes wandered to a picture on the mantle. It was hard to see, but he could make out Yellow, who looked about the same as she did now, and a slightly taller, balding man in a fishing vest. Both of them had big, cheesy grins on their faces; Yellow was holding up what appeared to be a very large magikarp, and she and the man were connected shoulder-to-shoulder.

"Where is he now, I wonder." Lance spoke this aloud just before Yellow came thundering down the stairs, a bottle of liquid in her hand.

"Sit up."

Lance cocked his eyebrow slightly. "Why?"

"Just do it."

Lance did so, but with a large amount of hesitation. Maybe she was waiting until the right moment to do something to him. That bottle in her hand could be poison!

"You've got some cuts on your neck. Gravvy can be a little rough, so hold still. This might sting, so sorry."

Lance opened one eye to see Yellow applying rubbing alcohol to cuts on his neck he didn't know he had. He hadn't even felt them. Her hands were smooth and feminine, but looked strong in their own special way. She moved with the gentlest care, and smiled like a mother kangaskhan licking her baby clean.

Lance suddenly grabbed her hand.

"W-what're you-"

"You're really beautiful."

"W-w-w-w-what…?" Yellow set the bottle down, her face exploding in crimson blush. She absolutely _did not _see something like that coming, especially from a former enemy. "Please, Lance, I'm not even wearing any makeup, stop messing with me!"

"Yellow, don't kid yourself. You really are gorgeous, and you've definitely grown up from that little squirt who gave me one hell of a shock on Cerise." Lance chuckled. "I'm surprised you haven't married yet. How old are you?"

"Um, eighteen."

"Really?"

"Yeah…"

Lance looked away, feeling the conversation grow awkward again. Yellow rubbed her shoulder, trying to make eye contact with anything else other than him.

"I…"

"You…"

Arceus, it was awkward. They had both started at the same time.

"You first." Being the gentleman he was, Lance allowed Yellow to speak first.

"Okay…I, uh…" Yellow's blush flowered again. Lance found the likeness of a lit explosive in her expression. "He doesn't love me!"

Yellow's sudden outburst shellshocked Lance. Yellow's eyes squeezed shut as she collapsed on his chest, her voice breaking quickly. "Red doesn't love me…"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you deaf?! He doesn't love me! I'm just a stupid kid, trying to look up to him, only to come across as another one of his stupid, ditzy fangirls! He even told me, "well Yellow, you've always been like a sister to me, and I feel that relationship should stay where it's at". Yellow deepened her voice slightly to sort of mock Red.

"Yellow, I'm still not understanding completely. I know that this 'Red' was a good friend of yours, and you were tasked to save him on Cerise, but I thought he thought you were a boy."

"He did," Yellow sniffed. "he did for a while, but when we had to defeat the Masked Man, I was forced to unveil my true gender."

Lance pulled her closer to him. "Why did you hide your gender?"

"Because Blue told me that if I pretended to be a boy, I wouldn't be taken advantage of, and that I couldn't use my femininity to defeat my foes, like her. I didn't understand at the time, but I know now that Blue was basically saying that because I was a washboard, I couldn't be myself."

Lance had to shut his mouth quickly to avoid bursting out laughing, but merely let out an amused snicker. "It's not funny, you dick!"

"You're right, it was your delivery, I'm sorry. You just have an excellent sense of wit." Lance sat up, forcing her to do so, also. "Honestly, Yellow, I can't tell you how to feel, but Red's feelings are his. You can't force him to like you; you have to accept that he doesn't see you like that and move on."

"You're right, I guess," Yellow pouted sadly. "He's just always been my hero. Even since Uncle's been gone, I haven't had anyone to talk to, and I've been lonely…"

"What about your friends?"

"Green and Blue are so, so busy, Gold can't sit still, Crystal is very busy, and I never know where Silver is! It's jut been me, and I don't know how much longer I can take, Lance."

Lance sighed, not out of annoyance, but out of pity. "Yellow, if it's any consolation, I'll be your friend."

"Lance…"

"I've screwed up a lot, Yellow. I nearly killed a lot of people, and I hurt you and your friends in the process. I've tried doing good things and such, but it isn't enough! There are nights I just sit sleepless, wondering what on earth to do next!" Lance felt his throat grow tight as he continued. "Thank you for forgiving me, I'm so, so grateful, but I still feel empty…"

Yellow felt awful to see Lance like this. She had just spilled such a seemingly petty problem on him, and she didn't even consider how much torture he'd gone through in the past years. "Lance, I've been suffering too, and I think that makes us alike in a way."

"I know that Red rejected you, but what makes you say that?" Lance rubbed his eyes.

"My uncle isn't gone, Lance…"

Lance reeled back a bit, ready for another outburst. "Isn't gone…?"

"He died, Lance. He had a heart attack four months ago, and I was shattered. He was the only family I ever knew, and he was taken away in a blink of an eye! Sure, my friends comforted me, and Red held me as I cried, but did it mean anything? No, of course not! It was just empty, platonic sympathy!"

The emotions in the air tightened. Lance pulled Yellow close as she cried, and he struggled to fight his own tears, not only for Yellow's sake, but for the demons of his past. But as they weeped and shared their sadness, Lance could see a sort of light in Yellow's eyes. A light of renewal, and of something else he couldn't put his finger on. Not only was he so, so glad she had forgiven him, but he had unearthed a sort of interest in her. A interest that he wanted proliferate.

Lance put placed his large palm on her back, rubbing gentle, small circles. "I'm here for you. Please don't cry."

Yellow looked up at him. The tear streaks only furthered the power of her hurt expression. "You won't even let me cry?"

"It's not like that. It's that crying doesn't suit you." A cool breeze suddenly flew over him, and they realized that the door was still ajar. "Come on, help me fix the door, it's getting cold in here."

"Okay." Yellow snuffled.

Lance helped the poor girl up, and they proceeded to put the door back into place. Lance held it in the correct position as Yellow found the pin to the frame that had been launched several feet away, and with Lance's help, drove it back in.

"It'll be okay for now. I'll call someone to fix it professionally." Yellow said, giving a half-hearted laugh.

"Definitely." Lance turned back to Yellow, who had seemed to lose her bad vibes. "Are you gonna be okay?"

"I think." Yellow rubbed her nose absentmindedly. "What did you mean, though?"

"What are you talking about?"

"When you said that crying didn't suit me. What are you trying to say?"

Lance sighed as he stepped closer. "I meant that seeing you miserable like that didn't seem true to yourself. It's good to grieve, but you look better smiling."

"Lance…"

"I'm not done. Yellow, when Pika delivered that Megavolt, my body wasn't the only thing that was shocked. My mind and soul, too. As I laid in the trees with Dragonite, covered in burns and my clothing in shreds, I realized that I was wrong. It was beyond out of line for me to try and take the lives of all humans for the things only a few of them do. I was no longer angry; I was relieved. Relieved that I was free from the evil I tried to perform. I searched for meaning to life, and while I did many things on my travels, I wanted to see you again."

Lance turned back to the door. "I need to leave now, but I've never been so thankful in my life for anything more than your forgiveness. May you be blessed."

He didn't take two steps before Yellow launched herself at him, clinging to his waist.

"Stop! Stop, please don't leave me!" She bawled loudly. "You may have been my enemy, but you've given me more comfort in the last hour than all of my 'friends' in the past year! I'm the one that's thankful!" She sank to her knees, still clinging on desperately. Of course, her arms had slid down to around his lower legs, and her face on his calves.

"Yellow…"

"I've always harbored an admiration for you, Lance, but I always thought Red was sure to love me…I was wrong to assume, though." She let go and stood up. "It would be wrong of me to press this upon you, though. I was happy to forgive you, so please don't feel guilty anymore-"

She was silenced when he kissed her. It wasn't anything passionate, just a simple, sweet kiss to let her know that she was talking too much. Lance let go after a few seconds, only to be met with a red-faced pouty Yellow.

"Your sex appeal increases dramatically when you do that, you know."

"What?!" Yellow immediately stopped pouting, her mouth deciding to look a cross between horrified and surprised. "Are you insane?!"

"Nope, I just like you." He planted one more kiss on her forehead. "And I won't leave you. I like you too, Yellow."

The warmest smile spread across Yellow's face like gentle, morning sunlight in the dark evening. "I guess it's getting late…would you like to spend the night?"

The mood shift was hella confusing, but Lance disregarded it. "I guess I could. I don't want to impose or anything…"

"Nonsense. You can sleep in my bed with me."

It was Lance's turn to blush. "You sneaky vulpix, you. I'm not letting you have me yet."

"Silly Lance!" She playfully pinched his cheek. "You can have all the kisses and cuddles you want, but nothing else."

How awkward.

Lance stifled a nervous laugh as slowly walked upstairs. "I don't have anything to change in to, though."

"You can borrow uncle's pajama bottoms if you want, they're in the room over there." She pointed to his left. "I haven't touched anything in there, let alone gone in…"

"Don't, I understand. Go to bed, I'll be with you in a moment."

Lance stepped inside the room, which was pretty plain overall. Queen bed with a quilt, a big dresser, and a mirror with seven different bottles of cologne and other nicknacks on the table below it. Lance located the correct drawer, and pulled out a pair of forest-colored fleece sleep pants; they were a little big, but if he tied the drawstring tight, they'd fit just fine.

He shed his pants and shirt, and slipped them on. They were just a _bit _too big. He moved carefully to Yellow's room, and knocked before stepping inside.

"Yellow?"

A muffled thunk came from the bathroom. "In a minute! Ouch!"

"You need some help?"

"No, I just bumped a hairbrush and it fell on my foot, that's all." Yellow laughed. The door then opened, revealing Yellow clad in nothing but a white tank top and blue panties, complete with a little pink heart on the front of them.

"Gack! Yellow!"

"Eeek!" Yellow squealed, running back into the bathroom and slamming the door. "I'm so sorry, Lance, I should wear more. That wasn't considerate."

"It's fine, that was just a surprise." Lance chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck like a nervous, flustered teen. "It was a good surprise, though."

"Oh?" Yellow stepped back out and walked to him, a sly smile on her face. "You like what you see?"

Lance sighed, but only at how simply adorable she was. "My only concern is that it seems like you'd get cold and whether or not you felt comfortable around me dressed as you are, but other than that, you look cute as a newly-hatched togepi."

Without a word, she planted a chaste kiss on his nose; his eyes widened and cheeks flushed. "Thank you. That's the nicest thing I've heard in a long time."

"It's no trouble." Lance turned back to the bed, which seemed to beckon with its warm sheets and soft pillows. "Arceus, I'm tired."

"You're preaching to the choir, Lance." Yellow laughed wearily as she collapsed head-first into the covers. "Arceus, I love my bed."

"I love beds, too, especially when I'm tired, and boy, am I tired."

"Yeah…Lance?"

"Yes, Yellow?"

"Thank you for everything." Yellow scooted close to him, her face against his built chest. "Are we something now?"

"What do you mean by 'something'?"

"You know," Yellow giggled nervously. "A couple?"

"Only if you want to be, Yellow." He pulled her close, forcing a small squeak from her. "Now, go to sleep, and we'll talk more tomorrow."

As if cued, Yellow yawned widely. "Okay…love you, good night…"

Lance had to resist an outburst of surprise. Sighing, he pulled the covers over both of them, sinking into their cool embrace. _"Poor girl, she's probably so used to Wilton kissing her goodnight. I don't know if I can replace him, or live up to Red's legacy, but," _He stole a glance at her already sleeping, smiling face. Her arms were wrapped around his waist, and she was snoring softly. _"I think I can manage. I love you too, Yellow."_

**Something a bit different from me. I usually don't write Granted, but I wanted to try a different perspective. Thanks for reading!**


End file.
